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{{Use American English|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Primary sources|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox Military Unit
| unit_name                     = Fighter Squadron Composite 13
| image                         = VFC-13 Change of Command December 2022 Image 3.jpg
| image_size                    = 300
| caption                       = A squadron [[F-16C Fighting Falcon]] during a ceremony at [[NAS Fallon]] in 2022
| dates                         = 1 September 1973 – present
| country                       = {{country|United States}}
| allegiance                    = 
| branch                        = {{navy|US}}
| type                          = Adversary Squadron
| current_commander             = 
| role                          = 
| size                          = 
| command_structure             = [[United States Navy Reserve]]
*[[Naval Air Force Reserve]]
**[[Tactical Support Wing]]
| garrison                      = [[Naval Air Station Fallon]], Nevada
| garrison_label                = 
| equipment                     = 
| equipment_label               = 
| nickname                      = "Fighting Saints"<ref name="official-website">{{Cite web |title=Fighter Squadron Composite 13 |url=https://www.cnic.navy.mil/Regions/cnrsw/installations/nas_fallon/about/fighter_squadron_composite_13/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108191644/https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrsw/installations/nas_fallon/about/fighter_squadron_composite_13.html |archive-date=2022-01-08 |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=[[Naval Air Station Fallon]]}}</ref>
| patron                        = 
| motto                         = 
| colors                        = 
| colors_label                  = 
| march                         = 
| mascot                        = 
| battles                       = 
| anniversaries                 = 
| decorations                   = 
| aircraft_fighter              = [[Vought F-8 Crusader|F-8 Crusader]] <small>(1973–1974)</small><br>[[Douglas A-4 Skyhawk|A-4 Skyhawk]] <small>(1974–1993)</small><br>[[McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet|F/A-18 Hornet]] <small>(1993–1996)</small><br>[[Northrop F-5|F-5 Tiger II]] <small>(1996–2022)</small><br/>[[F-16C|F-16C Fighting Falcon]] <small>(2022–present)</small>
| battle_honours                = 
| identification_symbol         = [[File:VFC-13 F-16 logo.jpg|175px]]
| identification_symbol_label   = Squadron insignia
}}
 
'''Fighter Squadron Composite 13''' ('''VFC-13'''), also known as the "Fighting Saints", is a fighter squadron of the [[United States Navy Reserve]] that provides [[Aggressor squadron|adversary training]] at [[NAS Fallon]], [[Nevada]]. VFC-13 uses "Bogey" as its main radio callsign.{{Citation needed|date=September 2012}}

==Mission==
VFC-13 provides adversary training for Navy and Marine Corps Active and Reserve fleet and replacement squadrons, carrier air wings and Marine aircraft groups, [[USAF]] units, to include [[Air Force Reserve]] and [[Air National Guard]], and Canadian Forces. The squadron has received two consecutive [[CNO Safety Award]]s, the Golden Wrench Maintenance Award, and in 1994 and 2011, the [[Battle "E"]] award.<ref name="official-website" />

==History==
===1970s===
The squadron was established as '''Fleet Composite Squadron Thirteen (VC-13)''' on 1 September 1973<ref name="autogeneratedmil">{{cite web|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq6-1.htm#lineages |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970206084605/http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq6-1.htm#lineages |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 February 1997 |title=Naval Aviation Squadron Lineages |publisher=History.navy.mil |access-date=2012-09-01}}</ref> at [[NAS New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]] when the [[US Navy]] reorganized the [[US Naval Reserve]] and the Naval Air Reserve Force (NAVAIRESFOR). The squadron first flew the [[Vought F-8 Crusader|F-8 Crusader]], and had 17 officers and 127 enlisted men within its ranks, most were former members of [[VSF-76]] and [[VSF-86]]. In April 1974, they made the transition to the [[Douglas A-4 Skyhawk|A-4 Skyhawk]]. The demand for West Coast adversary squadrons and other fleet support missions resulted in the  squadron relocating to [[NAS Miramar]], [[California]] in February 1976. In mid-1976, VC-13 added the two seat TA-4J to the single seat A-4L in their aircraft complement.<ref name="official-website" />

===1980s===
In 1983, the squadron returned to single-seat aircraft and transitioned to the A-4E.<ref name="official-website" />
[[File:A-4Fs VFC-13 1993.JPEG|thumb|VFC-13 [[Douglas A-4 Skyhawk|A-4Fs]] at NAS Fallon in June 1993]]

On 22 April 1988, the squadron was re-designated Fighter Composite Squadron Thirteen (VFC-13).<ref name="autogeneratedmil"/> The same year, the squadron started operating A-4F "Super Fox" variant of the A-4.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fighter Squadron Composite 13 (VFC-13) |url=http://fallon.navy.mil/vfc-13.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990429152735/http://fallon.navy.mil/vfc-13.htm |archive-date=1999-04-29 |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=[[Naval Air Station Fallon]] |publisher=[[United States Navy]]}}</ref>

===1990s===
[[File:McDonnell Douglas FA-18A Hornet ‘162901 - 01’ (51910659255).jpg|thumb|A preserved F/A-18A in VFC-13 squadron colors on the deck of the [[USS Midway Museum|USS ''Midway'' Museum]] in San Diego, California, 2018]]
On 26 August 1993, the last A-4 left the squadron. Starting in September, the squadron transitioned to the [[McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet|F/A-18 Hornet]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July–August 1994 |title=1993 The Year in Review |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/Naval%20Aviation%20News/1990/pdf/ja94.pdf |magazine=Naval Aviation News |publisher=[[Naval Air Systems Command]] |page=20 |access-date=2023-01-06}}</ref>

In April 1996, VFC-13 transferred to NAS Fallon and made the transition to the [[Northrop F-5|F-5E Tiger II]].<ref name="official-website" /> It took over the adversary mission from [[VF-45 (1963–1996)|VFA-45]] and [[VFA-127]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=March–April 1995 |title=Scan Pattern |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/Naval%20Aviation%20News/1990/pdf/ma95.pdf |magazine=Naval Aviation News |publisher=[[Naval Air Systems Command]] |page=36 |access-date=2023-01-06}}</ref>

===2010s===
[[File:F-5N Tiger of VFC-13 lands at NAS Fallon In April 2015.JPG|thumb|A squadron F-5N Tiger II lands at NAS Fallon in 2015]]
In 2011, the squadron received their second [[Navy E Ribbon|Battle "E" Efficiency Award]].<ref name="official-website" />

===2020s===
In April 2022, plans to replace VFC-13's F-5s with Block 32 [[F-16 Fighting Falcon|F-16 Fighting Falcons]] which are being retired from USAF service became public. The squadron's F-5s will be transferred to [[VFA-204]], a US Navy adversary squadron currently operating [[F/A-18 Hornet|F/A-18 Hornets]]. VFA-204, based at [[Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans]], is scheduled to retire its aging fleet of Hornets and will be redesignated VFC-204 by October 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hunter |first=Jamie |date=2022-04-20 |title=The Navy Just Received Its First Surplus F-16s From The Air Force (Updated) |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/the-navy-will-receive-its-first-surplus-f-16s-from-the-air-force-today |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=The Drive |language=en}}</ref>

{{As of|December 2022}} the squadron has transitioned to the [[F-16C]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-04 |title=VFC-13 Fighting Saints transition to F-16 |url=https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/vfc-13-fighting-saints-transition-to-f-16 |access-date=2022-12-30 |website=Scramble |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[History of the United States Navy]]
*[[List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons]]
*[[List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.cnic.navy.mil/Regions/cnrsw/installations/nas_fallon/ Naval Air Station Fallon]

{{US Navy navbox}}
{{United States Navy Aircraft Squadrons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vfc-13}}
[[Category:Fleet fighter composite squadrons of the United States Navy]]